Black Bean & Corn Chili

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Bursting with fresh flavors from the late summer harvest this black bean and corn chili is pretty darn wonderful. We enjoyed piping hot bowls of this stew on a brisk summer night with a few pints of our favorite local beer and some REALLY tasty cornbread (that just so happens to be dairy free) This is the perfect chili to whip up if you’re expecting company because the hands on time is short and the chili gets better the longer it simmers so you can enjoy chatting for much longer. The cornbread recipe is adapted from Whole Foods Market so I wont include it below but click here for the recipe. The only things I changed (which I would recommend!) is that I used homemade almond milk instead of soy milk and honey instead of the sugar (leave the proportions the same!) I baked mine in a cast iron skillet but feel free to make a loaf like they do. It’s a wonderful cornbread recipe and not only does it taste great dunked into a bowl of this chili but it’s equally delicious for breakfast with a smear of butter and honey.

Anyhow, back to this chili. We used fresh corn and fresh tomatoes but if you make this when tomatoes and corn aren’t in season you can sub with canned tomatoes and frozen corn–I’ve been on a canning and freezing frenzy recently! Anyhow, this is a forgiving chili so have fun with it and add your own flair if you wish.

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until the onion begins to soften and lightly brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Stir until all the veggies are nicely coated in the spice mixture and the mixture starts to become fragrant. About 1 minute. Add the black beans and tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes longer. Add the beer and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chili is thick and fragrant, about 25 minutes.

Remove about half of the chili and place it in a blender. Blend until the beans are smooth and creamy. Add the puree back to the soup pot and stir in the corn. Heat through for about 5 minutes longer. Taste test and add additional salt if necessary.

To serve, divide the chili between bowls and top with yogurt, lime juice, cilantro and radishes.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide
*Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary
*Taste test as you go